PSV director Marcel Brands has conceded that the club would have sold Cody Gakpo in the summer if his valuation was met amidst interest from Manchester United.
The Netherlands international, 23, was one of the breakout stars in the Eredivisie last season, bagging 21 goals and 15 assists in 47 games for PSV Eindhoven across all competitions. His sparkling displays saw a lot of European clubs show interest over the summer transfer window, including Manchester United; however, their interest cooled down after the big-money capture of Antony from Ajax.
Speaking in an interview with Voetbal International (h/t talkSPORT), Marcel Brands has hinted Cody Gakpo could be available for the right price in the upcoming transfer windows.
“I can say, with my hand on my heart, that there has been no offer for Cody to which the management or the supervisory board have said. We must do this.
“We did state that if there were certain offers, we would have to sell.
“[This is] not only from a financial point of view, but also because agreements were made with the Gakpo camp before my time.”
Gakpo has apparently not let a failed move to the Premier League affect him as he has hit the ground running this term with 10 goals and nine assists already for the Dutch side. It seems certain that there will be a lot of suitors for the 23-year-old attacker when the transfer window reopens, but should Manchester United reignite interest in him?
Cody Gakpo to Man United—Should the Red Devils revive interest in him?
Cody Gakpo thought he was Old Trafford bound earlier in the summer, but Manchester United never put in an official bid to PSV Eindhoven. This is because the club had spent a big chunk of their transfer budget on Antony as Erik ten Hag was desperate to reunite with the Brazilian winger at Old Trafford.
While Gakpo had the chance to arrive in the Premier League on transfer deadline day, the forward ended up rejecting a move to Leeds United. Having stayed in the Eredivisie, he has led Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side to the top of the table.
Meanwhile, Man United have recovered from a dreadful start to life under Erik ten Hag with consecutive Premier League wins. The Red Devils have plenty of positives to take from how things have panned out for them in recent weeks, with new signings such as Christian Eriksen, Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia and Antony making telling impacts.
However, it has been quite apparent from United’s performances that there is a lot of room for improvement. Ten Hag would be pleased watching the likes of Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho get back to form, while Antony’s dream start to life in the Premier League vindicates his decision to go all out for him. But the Dutch tactician needs to be aware of the fact that Anthony Martial has become injury prone of late, Cristiano Ronaldo is coming to the end of his career and Anthony Elanga is still a raw talent.
With that in mind, it would make perfect sense for the Red Devils to go back in the market for Gakpo in January, and the Dutchman’s versatility to play in multiple roles across the forward line could offer Ten Hag valuable cover in more than one area of the pitch.
Gakpo has got decent experience at the highest level and, while cutting the mustard in the Premier League is a completely different kettle of fish, one would back the PSV star to adapt pretty seamlessly to English football, given his well-rounded qualities as a forward. Plus, the Netherlands international’s status as an exciting young player with great potential means that he also ticks the box as a smart long-term investment for Ten Hag’s United.
Playing alongside quality players at United and working under Ten Hag will certainly help Gakpo take his game to the next level. That said, it should be an absolute no-brainer for the 20-time English champions to revive their interest in Gakpo in January.
